Memphis won its first-round game of the Men’s NCAA Tournament, but the bigger story is that highly recruited freshman Emoni Bates played in the game.
Once touted as the No. 1 overall prospect in his class, Bates had struggled while on the floor for Memphis. He averaged 10.4 points per game and had issues with efficiency. Then, he missed 12 straight games with a back injury.
In the games following his absence, Memphis was actually one of the best teams in the nation. After starting the season 11-8, the Tigers went on a 10-2 run once he was sidelined.
